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400 EZRA FISHER

me, and tomorrow companies from this state will commence their journey and we have fixed on next Thursday to leave this place, but must wait till the draft reaches us. We have disposed of all our little possessions and all our furniture at about half their value, to be ready, and are still in suspense whether we shall be able to enter upon our anticipated field of labor. We sometimes fear the draft is in the bottom of the lake or has miscarried. You may imagine with what anxiety we wait each returning mail and what are our feel- ings of disappointment as we return from the office unpro- vided for. We try to feel that the hand of the Lord is in all this. Sometimes I feel to say "Thy Will, O Lord be done." Yet our constant prayer is, If it please Thee O Lord, grant us the desire of our hearts and give us seasonably the means necessary to the prosecution of our journey. Should the next mail bring the draft, we must be delayed a few days beyond the appointed time. You have undoubtedly forwarded the draft before this.

Yours truly, EZRA FISHER.

N. B. Perhaps it is not the will of the Lord that I should go; if so, I should submit, yet my heart is in the work and it will be time enough for me to learn that fact when I find the door is shut. Till then, I am bound to act up to a con- viction of duty in view of the importance of the field before me. Should the draft go back to you with my name on its back, you will not pay it till you hear from me by letter, as I shall write you immediately on the receipt of the draft that you may learn the time of our departure.

E. FISHER.

Rock Island, April 5th, 1845. Dear Br. Brabrook:

At the request of Dr. Witherwax and others I take my pen to address you a line in great haste. The church in Davenport are still destitute and perhaps have been rather